YEAR
2016
INDUCTED BY
Kendrick Lamar
CATEGORY
Performers
HALL OF FAME
ESSAY
By Reginald C. Dennis & Alan Light
Unexpected. Shocking. Flawed. Revolutionary. Worthy. N.W.A’s improbable rise from marginalized outsiders to the most controversial and complicated voices of their generation remains one of rock’s most explosive, relevant, and challenging tales.
From their Compton, California, headquarters, Eazy-E (Eric Wright), Dr. Dre (Andre Young), Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson), MC Ren (Lorenzo Patterson), and DJ Yella (Antoine Carraby) would – by force of will and through unrelenting tales of street life – sell tens of millions of records, influence multiple generations the world over, and extend artistic middle fingers to the societal barriers of geography, respectability, caste, authority, and whatever else happened to get in their way.